A Twist of Fate
by Savannahbobanna
Summary: Edward is unfaithful, and only Jasper is there to pick up the pieces of Bella's tattered heart. When a close call with werewolves drives the vampires of Forks to a rash decision, Bella is the one who suffers the consequences. Bella/Jasper
1. Chapter 1

Okay! You can shoot me for deleting my other Twilight stories. I just wasn't feeling the groove for the others haha!

**Summary: **Jasper is kicked out of the house when it is discovered that he has cheated on his "vegetarian" diet. Edward is unfaithful? Say it ain't so! This and more in A Twist of Fate!

This is a Jasper/Bella story. If you don't like that pairing then you don't have to read it.

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**Jasper's POV**

I could not resist. She was walking alone, off of the trail. I happened upon her when I was hunting, not a very suitable combination.

"Hello," she said as she saw me. I could feel her level of fear rising.

"Well, hello," I said in a subdued voice that I saved for the luring in of humans. She unconsciously took a step away from me but never took her eyes off mine. That's all it took to set me off.

I lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. She let out a little yelp. I lowered my head to her neck. I could feel her pulse beating wildly.

"Sorry," I whispered before I plunged my teeth into her neck.

I felt the sweet blood pour into my mouth. Her struggles were becoming less severe. I drank faster, not wanting her to suffer.

When I was done I looked down at her. She looked about 15 and had dark curly hair. She was one of the palest humans I'd ever seen. Almost as pale as me. He face was relaxed, a small smile painted on her face. That's how it always was. They realized they were going to die and stopped fighting it. They thought of the good things in life and ultimately, died happy.

It was then that I knew I made a mistake. My family would be furious. I buried the body and then went on the hunt for big game. Maybe if I devoured enough animal they wouldn't see the subtle pink in my eyes. It wasn't a very big girl, there was less blood than in your average adult.

I hunted nothing but large animals for the next two hours and then made my way towards home.

I felt it as soon as I got near the house, an anger that was almost tangible. They couldn't know. I had blocked my thoughts from Edward during my entire hunting trip and Alice wouldn't know because I had made the decision right before I did it. Perhaps they were angry about something else.

I ran to the front door and then slowed. It was almost painful to be standing there. I could feel Edwards rage radiating through the walls. Before I had a chance to open it, Edward flung the door open.

"How could you? Human, Jasper? Human?!" he roared, pulling me into the house. "Bella is here! I don't need an unstable brother when she's around! She could be hurt!"

I looked around the room. Emmett and Rosalie had the same shocked looks painted on their faces. Carlisle and Esme were facing away, I could feel their pain. Alice was standing behind Edward, hands on hips, looking at me with the fiercest look I'd ever seen in her eyes. Bella was shrinking back from Edward, she didn't feel scared, just startled.

The room had gone quiet.

"What do you need me to do?" I asked, already fearing the answer.

"I need you to leave," answered Edward simply. I looked to where Alice was standing and it seemed that she actually agreed with him. The rest of them didn't say anything so I assumed that it had been talked about before I had gotten here.

"You're kicking me out," I stated.

"Sooner rather than later please," said Edward, not hiding the disdain in his voice. Like being this close to someone like me absolutely disgusted him.

I turned without saying a word and left, nobody stopped me. Nobody followed, not even Alice. The fact that my own family would leave me out in the dust had crushed my will to fight back. There would be no begging on my part.

I stood in the forest surrounding the house for around an hour and decided that it would be nice to check back in on my family before I left them forever. A last look at their faces would be nice.

I peeked into Emmett and Rosalie's room and was not surprised when I saw them lounging on the bed watching television. That's almost all that Emmett did besides hunt. I looked into Carlisle and Esme's room where Carlisle was holding Esme's crying form. I turned away, not being able to bear anymore.

When I got to Alice's room I saw that it was empty. Wondering where she was I moved to Edwards window.

He would have noticed me there if his face wasn't glued to Alice's. His hand started to move slowly up her shirt. She giggled and I'd had enough. I turned away and didn't look back. I knew where it was going, I could feel the passion through the window.

So he was cheating on Bella and Alice was cheating on me.

They always said that they had a special "connection". That both of them being able to see into others minds had bonded them in a way. They had always said that it was a simple sibling relationship but I guess we were all wrong. It was amazing nobody would hear them in that house.

I ran from the house to the main road and didn't stop until I saw a certain red truck.

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So there's the first chapter! Review review review:)


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! Another chapter in a DAY! Review? Yes I think you should :)**

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Jasper POV

It felt like my duty to tell her what I'd seen. It wasn't that I was going to tell her out of revenge against Edward, I just felt she ought to know what kind of man she was with. He said that he would always be faithful to her, always love her.

I knocked on her truck window and then quickly hopped in. She was only going a measly thirty miles an hour. She wasn't surprised, all the Cullens had lept into her truck at one time or another. But, when she looked over and saw it was me her heart rate accelerated a bit, her breathing kicked up a notch. The smell was almost unbearable. I understand why Edward is always raving about how wonderful she smells, he's right.

"I won't hurt you, Bella," I said, dropping my head. I was determined never to hurt her. I sighed. She had just started trusting me and then I go and eat a human.

"Why are you here?" she asked, her voice shaking. Did she really think that I would bite her?

I paused. How was I supposed to tell her that the love of her life was with another woman. Especially when the other woman was her best friend.

She sensed there was something wrong.

"What is it, Jasper?" She had pulled over to the side of the road and turned to face me.

"It's about Edward," I started. She tensed up. "After you left I went around to all the rooms to, you know, get a last look at everyone."

She nodded, I paused again.

"And," she urged.

I took a deep breath, "I saw Edward and Alice together."

She laughed. "Of course they're together! They're almost inseparable!"

I frowned. She had misunderstood. "That's not what I meant, Bella. They were kissing and touching. Frankly, I'm glad I left before..." I shuddered. It really was a low blow for both Edward and Alice to do that to poor Bella.

Her face went blank.

"Oh," she breathed. She slumped over so her head rested on the steering wheel. The atmosphere changed at once, going from relief to a sadness so deep you could get lost in it. She was sobbing.

To my surprise I pulled her into my chest. I'd never gotten this close to a human that I wasn't going to enjoy for dinner. She buried her face into my shoulder and let loose a torrent of tears. Each exhale adding extra fragrance to the already saturated air. I struggled to keep my composure.

"Shhh," I crooned. "It's okay."

"You can eat me if you want," she cried. "I don't want to be alive anymore."

"Don't ever say that," I scolded her. She shouldn't have even thought of telling me that. Not only was it a very intense course of action but, I needed no more temptation to devour her whole at this point. Her smell was so delicious.

I had to keep telling myself that I would stay calm. That no harm would come to her.

She said nothing after that, her breathing and the occasional sob the only noise. It gave me a chance to think of why Alice would do this to me. She's the one who said that I had kept her waiting when we met that fateful day, that we belonged together. It blew my mind that the thought of being with Edward would have passed through her mind.

I wondered how long it had been going on. She had been acting strange lately. Come to think of it, I did see the occasional sidelong glance between her and Edward. I just thought that she was talking to him. Apparently it had been a thought of a different caliber than we all we used to. Sure, we knew they had a little system down. She would ask a question in her mind that was directed to Edward, he would answer with a slight nod or shake of the head. We let them think that they were being terribly sneaky.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that I knew what they were doing. Maybe it would have stopped the progression of the relationship. Then again, maybe it wouldn't. Maybe it would have only postponed the inevitable.

At least Bella and I would have had a few more moments of happiness.

After an immeasurable amount of time had passed she fell asleep in my arms. I shifted her to the passenger seat and her head lolled onto my shoulder. I started the truck and drove her home.

"Bella," I whispered in her ear when we had pulled up to her house.

"Yes?" she groaned.

"We're at your house. It's time for you to go inside."

She frowned, just remembering why her eyes were hurting her I assume. She looked up at me, eyes wide. "Why?" she whimpered. I knew she was talking about Edward.

"Who knows," I answered, looking ahead. "Perhaps he did not think of the consequences, losing a lovely girl. You deserve better than him anyway, Bella. Try to get some sleep. It'll be good for you."

She nodded. "Good night, Jasper," she whispered before exiting the car. I watched her walk to the door, look back to the car, then go inside.

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**Review! It makes the world go round :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**What's that Savannah? Three chapters in two days? You must be super woman.**

**No! I am not super woman. I just don't have a life :D**

**Enjoy :)**

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**Bella's POV**

I knew it was too good to be true. There was no way that a creature like Edward would be happy with a person like me. We were polar opposites and in his case we don't attract. 

I sat on my bed doing nothing by stare at the floor for forty five minutes before any behavior whatsoever kicked in. I got up, shuffled to the bathroom, and took a shower. The water coming out of the nozzle was so hot it turned my skin bright red. 

I got out and looked at myself in the mirror. Pathetic, even I knew it. I didn't blame Edward for wanting to expand his horizons. 

I crossed the hall into my bedroom and changed into my most comfortable sweats and my baggiest t-shirt. I figured comfort was much more important that looks at this point. 

I fell asleep, tears still rolling down my face. I awoke a few hours later when I felt a cool arm encircle my waist. I turned over and saw Edward. 

He noticed the tears on my cheek. "What's wrong, love?" he asked with what sounded like he was genuine concern. 

I frowned. "I think you know the answer to that, Edward." 

My stern tone had startled him. His eyes narrowed. "What do you know?" 

"I know a lot of things. I happen to know that your favorite color is green. I know that you like to hunt mountain lions more than anything else. I also know that you and Alice are cheaters." I finished, trying to shove him away from me. 

He didn't move an inch except for his mouth, which now hung open. It was hard to surprise Edward and, despite the circumstances, I was proud I could do it. 

"I can explain," he stated after closing his mouth and regaining his calm demeanor. He might have fooled anyone else but I could see in his eyes that he was less than happy with the fact that I had found out. 

"I'm all ears," I replied, subdued for the moment. 

"It's not like I could fight it, Bella. I tried and tried but I couldn't resist!" he deflated, the words coming out in a rush. 

"I thought you loved me," I said, a moment away from bursting into tears. 

"I do! More than anything on this Earth. But I could not stop myself. It was impossible," he said, patting me on the cheek. 

"I'm... confused." 

He sighed. "You know how werewolves imprint on people?" 

I nodded. 

"A few weeks ago Alice and I were hunting together when suddenly I saw her in a new light. It was like my entire universe had shifted and suddenly she was the one that I knew I was meant to end up with, " he looked at me, "for eternity." 

When I didn't say anything he started again. 

"I knew I had to tell you at some point. I couldn't just go on and feel good about it. I was getting more and more guilty as the infidelity continued. I couldn't think of how to do it!" He shook his head. "I wanted to tell you but I couldn't figure out how to do it without hurting you. And now you're more hurt than you would be if I had told you right away." 

"How could you keep something like that from me?! You kept that secret for weeks!" I screeched. Thank god for Charlie's uncanny ability of sleeping through anything and everything. 

"I'm sorry, Bella!" He yelled a little quieter than I did, obviously caring what would happen to both of us if Charlie woke up and discovered him in my room. "What else do you want from me? I could not help it! I'm sorry, okay?" 

"That's not good enough!" I got out of bed and pointed to the window. "Get out! Now! Tell everyone who knew about it never to bother me again!" I was sure I was turning red in the face. 

"Everyone but you and Jasper knew," he said, slowly getting up from the bed. 

That hurt. An entire family that I trusted and loved had betrayed me. "Tell them to stay away from me. You stay away too," I whispered. 

He walked slowly to the window. "I love you, Bella Swan," he said before exiting my room. 

I hardly made it to my bed before I collapsed in a dead sleep. 

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I awoke in the late morning the following day. I sat up while my eyes adjusted to the light. I stretched and happened to notice someone standing by the window with their back to me. 

"Edward! I told you to leave!" I yelled, leaping out of bed. Before he could turn around I ran to the window and pushed on his back as hard as I could. He spun around, surprised by my outburst. 

"Jasper!" I gasped. He wasn't Edward at all. 

"Good morning to you too," he grinned. His smile was contagious and I couldn't help but smile back. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked. I thought he'd be gone forever by now. 

"I thought I'd see how you were doing. I know that Edward came last night and I thought that maybe you'd need a little cheering up," he replied. 

"That's thoughtful of you but I really don't want to talk about it right now," I said softly, my eyes falling to the floor. 

"Well," he started, stroking his chin, "I do have a place we could go. Only if you trust me enough to be alone with me that is," he said, lifting my face with one finger so our eyes met. 

"I promise that I won't hurt you," he added. 

"Okay," I said, giving in easily. How couldn't you trust a face like that?

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**There was a little explanation of why Edward cheated on Bella. HE COULDN'T HELP IT! Don't hate him. :D**

**Review, it makes cookies taste better. **


	4. Chapter 4

**New chapter. AGAIN! I'm addicted to this story xD

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**Bella's POV**

Jasper waited while I got dressed and ready for the day.

"Do you mind if I eat breakfast before we go?" I asked. I was starving!

"Not at all," he replied.

I led him down to the kitchen. "You can sit down if you want," I told him. He nodded his thanks and took a seat in Charlie's chair. Thank god Charlie had gone on a fishing trip that day. It was Saturday so it wasn't all that surprising.

As I got down a bowl and poured myself some cereal I could see how very different Jasper acted from Edward. He was cautious, guarded with his actions. Edward had grown comfortable with my presence, always aware of the smell. It was one of the first times that Jasper and I had been alone together and I could tell he was struggling with it.

I sat down with my cocoa puffs and looked at Jasper. He was studying my bowl.

"Do you... want some?" I asked, confused.

He laughed, the sound ringing through the house. It was a smooth sound that warmed me to the core. It was a sound I could get used to.

"No, Bella. I'm okay," he answered. "I was just wondering what that would taste like. Is it good?"

I flinched. Edward had asked me almost the exact same question once. He flinched too, obviously feeling what I felt. I'd have to be more careful.

"Sorry," I said, not wanting to cause him pain.

He frowned. "What was that about?" he asked. I couldn't blame him. It was just a question about my breakfast.

"Memories," I whispered. He nodded, understanding completely.

I pushed away from the table, not hungry anymore. "Ready to go?" I asked as I put my bowl in the sink and rinsed it out.

"Yes but, are you sure you want to go? You really don't have to if you don't want to," he said, his voice muted.

I was about to answer when I heard the doorbell ring. Jasper looked at the door and snarled. I had a feeling I knew who it was.

"Jasper, would you like to leave? He might be here for a minute or two. It'll be okay if you do, you know," I told him. I didn't want anyone getting hurt.

"No, it'll be fine," he said. It sounded like he was convincing himself as much as he was convincing me.

"Okay," I said reluctantly. I moved swiftly to the front door. I opened it and saw Jacob's face twisted into a mask of hate.

"This isn't your usual bloodsucker friend," he growled, sniffing the air.

"No, it's not," I sighed. "Now I would really appreciate it if you got to why you're here."

"Ohh... uhmm... hmm..." he said. He was being slow on purpose and we both knew it.

"Spit it out, Jacob!" I exclaimed.

"No need to get pushy! I just wanted to know if you wanna to go to the movies with me today. Nobody on the rez wants to and I really, really want to see a movie," he said, putting on his best pair of puppy dog eyes.

Fortunately I was immune to his pity attempts. "I can't go today. I've already got plans."

"Does the other leech know about your plans?" asked Jacob.

"No and at this point I could care less," I said, my voice shaking a little by the end.

Jake's face fell immediately. "Did he hurt you? Cause if he did I'll tear him to shreds! I'll fry him up and eat him for dinner!" He started shuddering.

Jasper was at my side in an instant, spreading a feeling of calm through the atmosphere. One thing we didn't need right now was a giant wolf in my entryway.

"He didn't hurt me, Jake. I'm fine," I told him, gently patting him on the arm.

He nodded. "I have to go," he whispered.

"Don't go anywhere near the Cullen's, Jacob Black," I told him sternly. He nodded and then turned and ran.

I spun around to face Jasper. "Thanks for doing that. I don't know how I would have explained a big wolf shaped hole in the wall to Charlie."

"My pleasure." His slight southern accent made the short sentence that much better. I didn't know what it was, but when I was with Jasper I was always smiling.

It took me a second to regain my train of thought. "Weren't we on our way... somewhere?"

He nodded and led me out the door. In the driveway was a black Mercedes convertible. It looked at least five times better than Carlisle's. My jaw dropped.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It's a 2008 SLR Mc Laren Roadster. I bought it about a month ago,"

"How much did it cost?" I asked, twirling a loose thread on my jacket.

"Oh, it was about $500,000," he answered reluctantly. I nodded. The Cullen's really liked their fast cars.

He dropped the subject after that. He came around to my side and opened the door. It was warm for Forks, but the top was still up. Warm for Forks isn't very warm at all.

When he started the engine it hit me. "How did you get this?" I asked. He left the house without taking anything, including a car.

He frowned, obviously not wanting me to notice that he had shown up with a car. "I had to go back and get it."

"Did they let you in?"

"When I got there I could tell that someone was very, very angry. I opened the door and saw Edward breaking things left and right, including Emmett's new TV. He told me I had five minutes and then I was gone. I was done in three," he explained.

We were driving on the curving highway that led away from Forks and into the deeper parts of the forest.

"Did you know what he was angry about?" I asked. I expected his answer.

"I imagine it was you," he said simply. He turned to look at my face. I looked out the window into the green wall of trees that was speeding by.

It was quiet for a matter of minutes before I started the conversation again. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He was silent for what seemed like a long time. Finally, he answered, "yes, I am okay. As much as I want to, I know that I can't blame either one of them. I've never heard of such a thing ever happening, but I know both of them well enough to know they aren't lying about their new level of attraction to each other."

At least he'd come to terms with the fact that him and Alice were not meant to be.

"Do you ever see yourself being with someone in the same way again?"

"I certainly hope so. It was... different from my old lifestyle. I sort of enjoyed the family type of life though. It was nice to be comfortable enough with people that you didn't have to watch your back all the time."

"I know what you mean," I replied. We both had a family that we belonged to. A family that we could trust with almost anything. We'd both lost it all in one single night.

It was quiet in the car again. It wasn't an awkward time, just peaceful.

It surprised me when he spoke.

"We're here," he said, turning off the car.

I looked out the window and gasped.

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**Ahaha! I'm so evil aren't I? The car, if you were wondering, is a reall car. It costs $497,750. Very fancy. Very, Very expensive. I wish I had one :D**

**Review, it's good for your karma.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another chapter for ye!

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**Jasper's POV**

I opened the car door and took a deep breath of the cool air. Bella's smell in the car was maddening. Small spaces were not a good thing when it came to Bella. Thank god we'd be outside for awhile.

I heard Bella's door slam. She marched over to me. "I am not dancing, Jasper! You cannot make me do it!" she yelled, poking me in the chest with each word. She had obviously seen the stereo and come to the conclusion that we were dancing. She was right.

I stifled a smile. I knew she hated dancing. Teaching her to dance was exactly the thing to get her mind off of Edward.

"Oh can't I?" I challenged.

She faltered. "Well, I guess if you really wanted me to dance there wouldn't be anything stopping you. You do, after all, have superhuman strength. You also could probably persuade me pretty easily if you wanted to." She was going to lose the battle of the dance and she knew it.

"Just give it a try. I promise to stop if you don't like it," I reasoned.

Bella heaved a defeated sigh. "Alright, but if I get hurt I'm blaming you."

"That sounds fair." I really doubted she would get hurt. I was there and I wasn't planning on hurting her.

"What kind of dancing are we doing anyway?" she asked. I didn't answer and led her over to the clearing in the trees. There was the stereo sitting on the little table I placed there earlier that morning. There was a nice sized clearing in the trees that was perfect for dancing.

I pushed play and the sound of Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman flooded the forest. I watched her face fall.

"Swing dance? You want me to swing dance?" she asked incredulously.

"I sure do," I replied, sending a wave of calm over her. She took a few deep breaths and then glared at me.

"Just a warning, I will fall down. I'll fall down a whole lot," she said.

I just smiled at her and said, "well, it's a good thing I'll be there to catch you then."

She sighed. "Teach me then, Jasper."

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An hour and a half later Bella had gotten all the basic steps down. I could tell that even though she didn't want to admit it, she was having fun. I had successfully taken her mind away from Edward.

We took a break after her tenth fall. She never hit the ground, of course, but I imagine it wasn't pleasant being caught by arms as hard as iron rods.

She took a seat on the soft grass and I joined her. "How do you know this kind of music?" she asked a little breathlessly.

"You can't be related to Edward and not know all kinds of music. I happened to like music from the 40's the best. It gets into your system and you can't help but dance to it. All the greatest musicians were from the 40's. I like some 50's music," I admitted. "The only 50's music that I really like is the Frank Sinatra and early Bobby Darin type. All the rockabilly stuff though, not at all. " I'd gotten caught up in my own explanation.

"So, Glenn Miller and The Andrews Sisters were from the 40's. Do you like them?" she asked, playing with the grass.

"I do like them, very much so. How do you know them?" I was impressed that she knew any people from the big band era. Not many people new anything about that time.

"My mom went through a phase a few years back. I found that I actually liked the music a lot so I kept the CD's when she moved to her next mini-fetish. I've never danced to it though," she said.

"So, you've been listening to it for years but you haven't even danced to it yet? That's almost a crime!" I exclaimed, teasing her.

"As you can tell, I'm not the greatest dancer on the planet, thank you very much," she said, looking into the trees.

"I've noticed," I laughed.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, hitting me on the arm.

I jokingly fell over. "Ouch. Oh, ouch. I am in pain," I said mechanically.

"Pfft!" she laughed and stood up to help me off the ground.

"Come on, hep cat, I'm hungry," she said, pulling me up.

"Alright, cool chick, let's go get some food," I said, throwing her own era reference right back at her.

She started walking back to the car, very slowly. I could tell she was doing it on purpose too. She knew I had a problem with going slow. I liked to go as fast as possible as much as possible.

"Okay Bella, you're going to have to go faster than that," I sighed, following behind her.

"You mean like this?" she said, slowing down even more.

So it was a game was it? I was going to win. I picked her up and gently threw her over my shoulder.

"Jasper! Put me down!" she screamed, beating my back playfully.

"Maybe you should have gone faster!" I laughed.

We got to the car in a matter of seconds. When I put her down she was pouting and avoiding my eyes.

"I'm deeply sorry, Bella. Will you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?" I joked.

She cracked a smile. "Okay, but only if you don't do it again!"

I rolled my eyes and opened her door. "Yes, your highness."

"Ha-ha, very funny," she said, getting in the car.

I got in and started the engine. I turned on the CD player and Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin streamed into the car. Of course, I had to start singing.

Halfway through the song I heard Bella humming. "You know this song?" I asked.

"Of course I know this song," she scoffed.

I grinned. I could get used to this girl.

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**Yay:D**

**Review, it makes gym socks smell better.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here ya go! Another chapter for you! JUST a warning: I wont be abe to update as much. School is back in sesion on Monday. lol We flooded.

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Bella's POV

When we got to my house Jasper got out and opened my door for me. It was late afternoon and I could safely say I had a good time. A great time actually. He walked me to the door and waited while I unlocked it.

"Would you like to come in?" I asked, suddenly unsure of myself.

"Okay," he said, smiling.

We were two feet in the door when I realized there was a car parked in the driveway. I looked over and saw Charlie sitting on the couch.

"Hi, Dad." He had his feet propped up on the arm of the couch. I heard the sports center theme music start. Of course he was watching sports.

He looked over the back of the couch and I saw his eyes widen when he saw Jasper.

"Hi, Bells." He stood up and moved to my side.

"Who's this?" he asked. I could hear the tension in his voice. He knew it was a Cullen, but he had no idea what he was doing here.

"This is Jasper Hale," I said, not able to explain why he was here.

Charlie thrust out his hand and Jasper gripped it firmly.

"Nice to meet you," said Jasper, smiling cordially. I felt suddenly relaxed and looked at Jasper. He winked at me so quickly I wasn't sure if he really did it or not.

Charlie turned to me. "Can I talk to you in the kitchen real quick, Bella?" he asked. Uh-oh. This was not going to be good. Once Charlie had made his way to the kitchen I glanced to Jasper and he nodded reassuringly.

I followed my father reluctantly to the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter.

"Where's Edward?" he asked. I could see right through his attempts at a casual conversation.

"I have no idea, Dad," I answered honestly.

"Why not?" he asked.

"We broke up," I answered simply. It wasn't quite telling him the whole truth, but it was close enough. I saw a look of worry cross his features but when he saw I wasn't up set about it he tried to hide his smile.

He wasn't very good at masking his happiness. "That means you and Jake can finally take things up a notch!"

"I do not like Jacob!" I exclaimed. Charlie wasn't phased.

"He's such a nice young man, he really is good for you," gushed Charlie. I had to stop him before it got to be too much for me.

"Dad, stop!"

He paused, raising his eyebrows. He just didn't get that Jake wasn't my type. He wasn't even my type of species for Pete's sake.

"I have to get back to Jasper. When you're done with your Jacob rant let me know." I turned and left the kitchen.

Jasper was standing in the same spot he was when Charlie and I left. He was smiling wryly. I knew Charlie would be listening.

"I know I just asked you in, but I think it'd be better if we talked outside," I said in a hushed voice, hoping Charlie wouldn't hear.

He nodded and opened the door for me.

We stepped out into the chilly air and stood facing each other. I looked down at my feet and played with my hands.

"Are you going to be at school on Monday?" I asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

"Well that depends," he said. I looked up at his face and saw no trace of humor in his eyes.

"On what?"

"Do you want me to be there?" he asked.

I felt a lump rise in my throat and it was hard to speak. It was all I could do to nod.

He grinned. "Then I'll see you Monday."

"You're leaving?" I asked, dismayed at the thought.

"Well, I have to find a place to live that's somewhere a bit out of town. I don't like the bright city lights," he laughed and I joined in. I didn't know that Jasper had a humorous side to him until very recently. I'd always thought of him as quiet and reserved. I thought wrong.

"So, I'll see you Monday," I said, not enjoying the lack of Jasper tomorrow held.

"Take care, Bella," he said. He took my hand and kissed it. Then he turned and walked swiftly to his car. I was still standing there after he was long out of the driveway.

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The following morning after I had showered and eaten it hit me. I had a crush on Jasper. Crush sounded like such a school girl word for it but that's exactly what it was. After only spending a day with him I was hooked and definitely wanted more.

I was yanked out of my thoughts by the doorbell. Since Charlie was out fishing again I got up to get the door. Nobody I wanted to see was behind it, that I knew for sure.

I opened the door and saw Alice standing awkwardly on the front step.

"Bella, we really need to talk," she said, taking my hand and leading me to the couch.

I pulled my hand out of her's and plopped on the couch angrily. She stole Edward from me and I wasn't happy about it.

"I hope you know that I'm willing to listen to what you say but I'm not willing to forgive you," I told her, letting her know where she stood with me.

"I understand that," she sighed. "Bella, you know I would never do anything to hurt you of purpose! It was out of our control! I swear to you that I didn't do it with any malicious intent!" Her eyes had grown huge and I could tell she was hurting inside. I didn't care. "You didn't tell me, Alice! I trusted you," I whimpered.

She moved to comfort me. "No, Alice, don't."

She shrunk away when she heard the cutting edge to my voice.

"I really just have to think about this right now," I explained. Looking anywhere but her face. "It's not like you can expect me to forgive you overnight, Alice. You know me better than that. I love you, Alice, but I can't even look at you right now. Please leave," I requested, my voice growing quieter.

"I'll show myself out," she said, her voice becoming nasty.

So she was mad at me because she stole Edward. What logical thinking.

When I saw her pull away I decided that I was going to go back to bed. I probably wouldn't sleep but I was emotionally exhausted and needed the rest. It would be nice just to lay down and think.

At least I knew that tomorrow would be better. I would get to see Jasper. I hoped so anyway.

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	7. Chapter 7

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Bella's POV 

I'd woken up on Monday with a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'd gotten dressed and ready in record time. After I'd shoved a bowl of cereal down my throat, I walked quickly out the door into the sprinkling rain. I was in a hurry to get to school. I'd get to see Jasper when I was there. The thought excited me more than it should.

I had my hand on the driver side door handle and was about to hop inside when I heard a voice behind me.

"Would you like a ride to school today?"

I smiled. It was just the voice that I wanted to hear. I turned around to face Jasper, looking up into the rain. He was one of the tallest people I knew.

"Yes I would, as a matter of fact," I stated.

I'd just noticed that in front of my house was his flashy Mercedes. I really did need to pay better attention to my surroundings. No wonder I tripped over things all the time.

He opened the passenger door for me and I tried to slip inside. I managed to hit my knee on the seat and fall backwards. I didn't hit the ground though. Jasper caught me, of course.

It always felt so strange when someone kept me from falling. I was always tensed, ready for the ground to come up to meet me, then someone would catch me and it took awhile for me to get relaxed again. It was as if I was still waiting for the fall even though I was firmly planted on the solid ground.

"Thanks," I muttered before getting into the car. It always embarrassed me when I fell, no matter who I was with.

"No problem," replied Jasper, already in the drivers seat.

He turned on the radio and Artie Shaw drifted softly out of the speakers. He wasn't lying when he said he liked forties music.

"So," he began. "I've been thinking and I have no idea how the people at school are going to take this. You and Edward were fine on Friday," he said looking at me. I'm guessing he felt the dip in my mood when he said Edward's name. He waited a minute before continuing.

"Normally, I wouldn't care what the other people thought. I'm just worried about what they'll say about you, Bella. You do know how this will look to them, right?" he asked, looking into my eyes despite the fact that he was racing down the road at speeds that I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

I had to think about that one for a second. If I was seen with Jasper and not Edward, the other's would assume that something had gone wrong in our relationship. They'd be correct to guess that. It'd be pretty obvious.

And then, after seeing Jasper away from Alice for once, they'd assume that there was something gone awry in Jasper and Alice's lives.

When they see Jasper and I together, they'd connect the pieces. They'd think that Jasper and I were getting back at Alice and Edward for something. They wouldn't know exactly what, of course, but the thought would be out there. All the other kids would make us the bad guys in the situation. Only Jasper and I would see it how it really was.

Edward and Alice wouldn't be seen as the villains. They are after all "brother and sister", adopted or not. No one would expect the things that were happening behind the Cullen's closed doors. The people at school would think we'd gone on some crazy rebellion against the rest of the family. The overall outcome would not be good.

Jasper stayed quiet while I thought. He was used to being patient, being immortal does that to a person.

Once I figured out the consequences I turned so I wasn't looking at him. Just ga glance at his eyes might cause me to say something that I didn't want to reveal at that particular moment.

"I know how it will look to them. At this point I don't care. Most of them aren't that good of friends to me anyway. I won't mind being seen with you, even without Edward," I admitted.

Jasper and I had never been alone together in public. There was always one of his siblings with us, he mostly just tagged along for the ride.

"As long as you know what you're getting into," sighed Jasper as we pulled into the parking lot.

He found a space that was far away from Edward's Volvo.

He got out and opened my door for me. As we walked towards the building I could see people staring. Not only at Jasper's car, but at us too. I could see the questions in their eyes.

I saw Angela walking toward me cautiously.

"Hey, Bella," she said, quietly greeting me.

"Hi, Angela," I waved. She looked next to me and saw Jasper standing there.

"Hello, Jasper," she said. I was impressed that she even said anything else. Jasper could be so intimidating, and Angela was... well, Angela.

"Good morning, Angela," said Jasper. I felt the atmosphere change slightly.

"See you in class, Bella!" said Angela, a little more enthusiastically than I expected.

"Uh-huh," I murmured, trying not to smile.

After she had walked away I turned to Jasper. "Think you overdid the eagerness a bit?" I asked, finally letting out the laugh that I'd been holding in. It was rare that Angela was ever enthusiastic about anything. It was entertaining to witness.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied. I could see the edge of his lips twitching. He was trying not to smile.

I jabbed him in the ribs and he let out the laugh. I turned to walk away but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. He found the spot on my side that made me laugh like a crazy person when someone tickled me there. Nobody knew about my crippling ticklishness, except of course, the entire Cullen family.

When I was done laughing I stood up and glared at Jasper. Tickling me wasn't fair at all, especially because you can't tickle a vampire back.

Jasper wasn't looking at me though. He was looking all around us. I followed his glance and saw what he was looking at.

Every single person who stood outside school was staring at us. I felt my cheeks redden and knew I must look like a tomato by now.

I scanned the crowd and every single person had a look of shock on their faces. All except for Alice and Edward.

They both looked absolutely livid. They looked at us as if we'd betrayed them. I could see Edward's face become more and more twisted while Jasper looked at him. He was obviously reading Jasper's thoughts. I was glad I didn't know what was going on in Jasper's head right now.

Jasper looked at me, breaking away Edwards glance, and said quietly, "Would you like me to walk you to class?" He said it so quietly that no one else would have known he spoke.

"Yes," I whispered, wishing to be anywhere but there at that point.

As soon was we started moving, everyone began going on with their business again. Jasper and I were surely going to be what the gossip was all about for today.

Jasper and I didn't talk as he walked me to English. We stopped in front of the door to the classroom.

"I'm sorry about all that back there," he said, ducking his head and not meeting my eyes.

As he was talking the people that entered the room were looking at us, jaws dropped.

"It's not your fault at all," I said, trying to meet his gaze. He wouldn't meet my eyes.

I started to get impatient. I was usually the one that avoided looking into other people's eyes. "What's wrong, Jasper?" I asked.

He finally looked at me and sighed. "I've been thinking, Bella."

"You're always thinking," I replied.

He ignored my comment and continued. "I can't do this alone. I can't stick to this diet alone. I can't stay in this town alone. I can't do half the stuff alone that I could before I was part of a family. I've become dependent on others for my survival."

I nodded, not quite knowing where he was going with it. Was he leaving?

The bell rang but he kept talking. "What I'm saying is, I need your help. Without you, I don't know where I'll end up." His eyes were searching mine for some kind of answer. "I need you, Bella." He finished. There was a pleading note in his voice that I'd never heard out of him before.

"I'll be there for you," I croaked. He smiled faintly and told me he'd be here to meet me after class was over.

I walked into English dazed. I couldn't believe that Jasper had actually told me that he needed me. That I would keep him from doing something he'd regret.

"Nice of you to join us, Miss Swan," said my English teacher.

"Sorry," I murmured, taking my seat. I looked up from my notes only a few times. People were staring at me, stunned, whenever I looked up.

It was one of the longest classes I'd ever had to sit through.

When the bell rang I bolted out of my seat and got to the door before anyone else. I stepped out of the room and saw Jasper leaning against the wall.

"How was class?" he asked as we started walking.

"Long," I replied, rolling my eyes.

He nodded. "I know what you mean."

When we got to one of the most crowded spots at school I felt his hand resting on the small of my back, guiding me through the throngs of people. It seemed that even more were jammed into school that day.

I looked at Jasper and he smiled down at me. I faced forward again, grinning. It'd be better to be looking ahead anyway.

I couldn't get rid of the warm feeling inside me. I'd enjoy being Jasper's lifeline, no matter what the consequences were.

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	8. Chapter 8

**I'm not going to update this weekend because... are you ready for this one. SPICE GIRLS CONCERT IN VEGAS! Yes, the Spice Girls. I'm excited. **

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**Bella's POV**

"I have some bad news," sighed Jasper as he walked me to lunch. We stopped before we entered the cafeteria.

I frowned, not expecting those words to come out of his mouth. It'd been such a good day! At least, that's what I'd thought. I looked down at my feet.

"What?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"Edward and Alice are heading straight for us," he said. It was something we both didn't want to happen.

I looked up at his face but he was focused over my shoulder. I turned and saw both of them walking, a little too quickly, towards us.

They wouldn't try anything, I panicked. We we're right out in front of the cafeteria, in plain sight.

Jasper could tell I was stressed out and he put a comforting hand on my shoulder. I felt a calm spread throughout my body. He left his hand there.

"Thanks," I whispered.

We both waited while Edward and Alice approached.

"We need to talk to you," said Edward firmly when he got to us.

I could see the pain in his eyes when he surveyed the both of us. Jasper's hand was on my shoulder and I wasn't the least bit uncomfortable with it. It was his choice to cheat on me, not mine.

"Talk," said Jasper curtly. Alice sighed and put her hand on her hip.

"Jasper, just come on. We aren't going to hurt either of you. We're going to talk and that's it," she said, he voice softening.

Jasper looked at me as if to ask my permission. Edward clenched his fists, reading Jasper's thoughts.

"You don't need Bella to tell you if it's okay to come with us," he snarled. "You have your own mind and she has hers."

Jasper stayed calm. "If Bella doesn't want to go then I don't want to go," he said simply.

I sighed. "Okay, Edward. I'll go with you. Don't even try telling me that this whole thing isn't your fault. If you would have told me sooner, perhaps we wouldn't even be in this situation!" I exclaimed, my voice growing louder. The few passerby's were beginning to stare.

"Let's have this talk somewhere else, shall we?" said Alice.

"Okay," I replied, my voice losing it's intensity. She started walking to the Volvo, Edward followed.

Jasper squeezed my shoulder softly and then slowly trailed his hand down the length of my arm. I shivered. He grabbed my hand and slowly entwined his fingers with mine. I was sure he could hear my heart hammering in my chest. We went after Alice and Edward, our hands wound together.

At this point, I didn't have a care in the world about what other people thought.

Edward looked back once he reached the car and shuddered. Why couldn't he accept that all this was his fault? That I would still be his if he hadn't had his little fling with Alice. It was his choice and he'd have to deal with the results of his actions.

When Jasper and I reached the car Edward and Alice were already inside. He opened the door for me and I got in. I was careful not to have any more car related accidents. Once we were seated he grabbed my hand again.

It was quiet as Edward started the engine. I could see him getting angrier in the rear view mirror, obviously hearing something he didn't like in someone's thoughts. I could guess who the thoughts were coming from.

I looked out the window, watching the trees zoom by. Even with Edward's insanely fast driving it'd take about 10 more minutes to get to their house.

I was relaxed. Even though I knew we were going to have a talk that determined where this whole situation was all going to go from here, I was fine. Especially when I had Jasper by my side.

"Dammit, Jasper!" growled Edward. I let out a yelp, startled by the sudden outburst.

"What?" he asked, confused. I could see Alice hunched over in the passenger seat. She was having a vision and Edward could see what it was.

Edward stopped the car. I wasn't surprised to see we were already at the house.

"Don't you dare," said Edward, looking at Jasper. He opened the door got out, and slammed it. I heard a snap when he closed it. Alice followed Edward into the house.

Jasper and I exchanged puzzled looks before stepping out of the car and walking to the front door.

Edward was standing in front of the door with his arms crossed.

"Don't we get to go inside?" I asked. I was getting a bit cold.

Edward shook his head.

"What is your problem?!" I exploded. "_You_ did something wrong. Why do _we_," I gestured to Jasper and myself, "have to be the one's you're mad at. You have no right, Edward! You were the one who did something wrong, _right_?! Not _me_! Not _Jasper_! You!"

Edward's mouth wooshed open. He couldn't actually be surprised, could he? Edward knew that's what happened.

I pushed my way past Edward into their house. It had been my second home for the longest time, I didn't feel the least bit rude. I plopped down on the couch and Alice was soon to follow. I ignored her.

Edward glared at Jasper. "Come in, but try not to eat anyone."

I was surprised in Edward. It was such a childish thing to say, especially when you're over a hundred years old.

Jasper sauntered in like he owned the place and took a seat on the other side of me. He grabbed my hand a smiled at me. Edward shut the door and stood in front of the couch. He was pacing the length of the couch and murmuring words to fast and quiet for my ears.

"So, you wanted to talk to us," I prompted. He turned to me.

"One moment please," he said, struggling to keep a civil tone.

I sighed.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting, he spoke. "Bella, please don't do this?" he said, looking pointedly at my hand, which was located right smack dab in between Jasper's.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said. I don't know what it was, but I certainly felt like pushing Edward to the limit.

"Dammit, Bella!" he yelled, hitting the wall. He hit it a little too hard and I could see a dent in the shape of an Edward fist. "You know what I'm talking about! You cannot be with Jasper!"

"Since when do you decide what I can and cannot do, Edward? Last I checked I had my own life to live," I said, standing up. I knew it wouldn't do any good. There was no way I'd intimidate a vampire.

"Don't you see that he is dangerous? Just a few days ago he ate a person! A person, Bella!"

"It doesn't matter!" I shrieked.

His eyes were what gave it away. Those words had hurt him. They were the same words that I said to him in the car on our way back from Port Angeles. The words that had created our bond that would be forever sacred. The words that had led me to Forks' deepest, darkest secret.

He deflated. "Do what you want, Bella. I wont stop you. If Jasper's what you want, take him," he whispered, his voice not the smooth velvet it usually was. It was deep, scratchy. Without another word he left the room.

Alice looked at Jasper and I. "I hope you guys are happy together," she said, exiting the room the way Edward had gone.

My eyes filled with tears. I loved this family, and I had hurt them. Me, it was my fault. I collapsed in a sobbing heap on the floor.

I felt cool strong arms lift me. I felt a steady pulse of relaxation. Jasper's power was so handy sometimes.

I buried my head into his chest and then we were running. I closed my eyes the entire time, knowing where we were going to go.

I'd apparently fallen asleep in his arms on the way home. I woke up and was confused, I didn't remember coming back home. I sat up and looked around. I saw a dark figure sitting in the rocking chair that was placed in the corner.

"Jasper?" I called, my voice groggy with sleep.

"Yes, Bella?" he asked, standing up.

I paused.

"Will you lay by me?" It was the only thing that came to mind at that moment.

"Are you sure?" he questioned, hesitating at the edge of the bed. I nodded.

He lowered himself onto the bed and slid his arm around me. I quickly found where I was most comfortable and sighed contentedly.

"Jasper?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"Can we talk about what happened today?"

"Perhaps that's a discussion best saved for when you're awake," he answered, stroking my cheek.

"Mmkay," I replied.

I drifted off to sleep, thinking about the day to come.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Two words... Finals suck. Sorry for the long wait! The updates will come much faster after this week has passed. Christmas break fantasmitastic. Enjoy :)**

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**Bella's POV**

I woke up terribly confused. It was dark and I was still in my tight uncomfortable jeans. There was an arm around me, an unfamiliar arm. It took a minute before everything hit me. I knew who the arm belonged to.

I rolled over and looked into Jasper's eyes, my heart skipped a beat. There was very little of the golden butterscotch color I'd become so used to.

I tried to look past it. "How long have I been asleep?"

He grinned, squeezing me tight. "Quite a long time, love. You must have been exhausted."

"Did Charlie check on me at any point? What happened to my truck? Did I miss the entire school day?" I started to panic. I was at the stage that happens right after you wake up, the incredibly confused and lost stage. The fact that going to bed before the sun went down and being awake before the sun comes up was too much for my tired mind to comprehend, especially in the state of being I was in.

"Calm down," he said. I immediately felt more relaxed. Thank heavens for Jasper's talent. He began again, "Charlie did check on you, he seemed concerned but wanted to let you have your sleep. You didn't take your truck to school, I drove you. And yes, you missed the rest of the school day."

"Oh," I said, not knowing which part to respond to first. I couldn't stop staring at his disturbingly dark eyes.

Finally, I gave in. "Are you thirsty?" I asked. He looked at me, an eyebrow raised. He trailed a finger along my jaw. I could barely make out his face in the dim light.

"Why would you think that?" he questioned, tracing my lips with an ice cold finger.

"I can see it in your eyes," I replied. I could see something in his face change. It was almost like he'd forgotten that I could tell when he was hungry or not. I wondered if it bothered him that I knew.

"Ah, yes," he said, his voice muted. "Perhaps I am getting a bit thirsty."

I frowned. Was he hiding something from me?

"Go hunt," I told him.

He smiled wryly. "And leave a pretty little thing like you? I'd never!"

I laughed quietly and pushed his shoulder. "Just go eat. I promise I'll be here when you get back."

He looked at me intensely, and then, as quick as the expression came, it was gone. He pasted on a humorous smile. "If you insist!" he sighed.

He ran his hand along the side of my face and was gone.

I looked at the clock, it read 2:30 in the morning. I groaned, pulling off my jeans and throwing on some sweat pants. My head had just hit the pillow when I felt a very large, warm being scoop me up. It took all I had not to scream out.

"Jacob Black, put me down right now!" I whispered fiercely.

"But I missed you!" he said, hugging me tighter. "And, I hardly think it's fair. Your usual bloodsucker has only been out of your life for a day or two and then you have another in here right away. I can smell him all over. I've been in line longer than he has anyway," said Jake. I hated it when he talked about my "bloodsucker" friends like that.

"Jake," I sighed, still in his arms. He put me on the bed and then sat next to me. "You know that I love you, of course, but I just don't love you like that." I'd given Jake that speech so many times that I could recite it in my sleep. I probably had, many times.

He started playing with his hands. "I know, Bella. It's just wishful thinking I guess..."

Great, I'd upset him. I hated the fact that after every time I gave him the talk he got mopey for days on end. Why couldn't he accept that he and I were not meant to be?

"Come on, Jake. Don't be like that." I grabbed his hands and gave them an encouraging squeeze. His face brightened a miniscule amount.

"Well, the reason I came here in the first place was to ask if you'd come up to the rez after school tomorrow. It's been a long while since we've hung out together. I miss you, Bells!"

"I'll be there. And, don't call me Bells," I laughed. He grinned the smile that had been my life support for so long, gave me a hug, and was gone.

I sighed and collapsed onto the pillow. Having friends that needed very little rest, if any, was very draining.

I fell asleep, thinking about the changes in my life.

In a matter of days I'd gone from madly in love with Edward, to gallivanting around with his brother. Never in a million years did I ever think that would be the case.

It seemed like minutes later when I opened my eyes. Jasper was pacing the length of my room.

"What's wrong?" I asked. My heartbeat accelerated. Jasper never showed impatience.

"Why was the stupid mutt in here? He was on your bed, I can smell him all over you." He looked at me, furious. It really didn't take a lot for vampires to get jealous, that much I knew.

"Nothing happened, Jasper. Jake just stopped by. We haven't seen each other in awhile and we miss being together. You smell him on me because he can't seem to go a day without giving me a gigantic hug," I said, reassuringly.

He stopped and took a deep breath. "Terribly sorry, Bella. Sometimes I just can't seem to get a handle on my emotions."

I nodded, not saying anything. He quickly took notice and sat down by me on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Bella, really. I promise you wont see that side of me again," he said, rubbing my back soothingly.

I looked at him. His eyes were considerably lighter, good news there. I decided to tell him about my plans with Jacob. "Uhm, Jasper?"

"Yes?" he asked, his eyes piercing.

"Jacob asked me if I wanted to go up to La Push to see him after school today, I told him yes. I really do miss him, Jasper. Please don't be mad," I pleaded. The one thing that I didn't want to do was make Jasper angry. I'd just gotten hold of him, after all. Losing him at this point would be too much for me.

"You may do what you like, Bella. I don't control you," he said honestly. I was surprised. I'd have thought that he would have said no, just like Edward would have. I would really have to get used to this type of relationship.

"You're not mad?" I asked as a precautionary measure.

"No," he answered. It certainly didn't look like he was lying.

"I don't have to go if you don't want me to. If you need me here I'll stay. It'll only be for a few hours," I said, panicked. I couldn't figure out why he was being so calm. I wasn't used to being granted the pleasure of Jake's company without there being consequences.

He laughed. "Bella, you may do whatever you wish, especially if it makes you happy. I will not stop you if you really want to go," he said, grabbing my hand. I couldn't help the smile that crept over my face.

Forty-five minutes later I had showered, gotten dressed, and eaten. It took awhile to explain to Charlie why I was asleep when he came home last night, but I did it. I told him that I wasn't feeling well. I also told him that I was going to see Jake after school. He looked at me strangely, as if he knew I was hiding something, but accepted my explanation and told me to have a good time at Jake's house.

"Bye, Dad!" I called, closing the front door a little harder than I planned. I was joined almost instantly by Jasper.

"What's wrong?" he frowned as he walked me to his car. At this point I didn't care if Charlie saw me with him or not.

"Charlie doesn't trust me," I sighed. "He didn't believe me."

He opened the door and helped me into the car, making sure I didn't fall. He was in the car and had it started before I could blink.

"How do you know he doesn't trust you?" he asked.

"I can just tell!" I snapped. The lack of sleep the night before was catching up to me, Jasper could tell. He took one hand off the wheel and rested it on my shoulder. I felt the soothing calm coursing through me, it was a feeling I had become very used to.

I shook his hand off, frustrated that my foul mood could be washed away so easily without my consent.

I had a hard time figuring out why my mood had gone so sour so fast. Perhaps Charlie's untrustworthy glance had pushed me over the edge. That after everything that had happened, Charlie was the one who would set me off. I didn't want to yell at anyone though. I was determined to keep what was bottled up inside me in for as long as possible.

When we pulled up to school, I could see everyone turn to look at us. I ignored their curious glances. After yesterday, they shouldn't be shocked anymore. Jasper helped me out of the car. I was still in a bad mood and Jasper knew not to say anything about it.

We walked to my first class in silence. When we reached the door he grabbed my arm and pulled me back before I could walk in, his eyes were on fire. We were inches apart.

"I'll miss you," he whispered, bringing my hand to his lips.

My anger melted and I smiled. "See you soon," I managed to croak before entering the room.

I couldn't help but keep grinning. Yes, I knew that Jasper used a bit of his gift on me. The real question was, did I care? At that point, not at all.

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	10. Chapter 10

**Short chapter. I'm sorry! The next one wil be longer... and will come sooner.**

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Bella's POV 

I sat down at my desk, my head clouded. Even a simple kiss on the hand was amazing, especially from Jasper.

"What's the deal with you and Jasper?" asked Jessica in a whisper. I jumped, startled. I hadn't heard her come in, let alone sit by me. Class had already started, but we were watching a movie. Movie day meant that Jessica would be free to question me relentlessly without worrying about the teacher catching her.

I was reluctant to tell her. I knew that as soon as I did, the news of whatever Jasper and I had been doing would be spread around school like wildfire.

"To be perfectly honest with you, I have no idea," I sighed. I knew she wasn't going to take that as an answer.

"What happened between you and Edward? I thought you guys would never ever break up, ever. You were like the Romeo and Juliet of Forks," she noted.

"Not quite," I whispered. "Romeo and Juliet were meant to be. For always and eternity. Edward and I... weren't," I finished lamely.

"So you guys...?" I knew her unasked question.

"Yes, Jessica. Edward and I broke up, okay?" I said, my voice raising a few octaves.

"I figured, sorry. What does that have to do with Jasper, though? Why is he hanging around with you instead of Alice?" she asked. I could hear her trying to sound sincere, she wasn't very good at it.

"It's not my story to tell, Jessica," I sighed. It was his choice. If he wanted to tell people that he got kicked out of his family, he could.

She huffed, angry that she couldn't get any good gossip out of me. She remained quietly fuming for the rest of the class.

When the bell rang I put on my coat and braced myself for the cold air. I opened the door and Jasper was there, like always.

"You don't look too happy," he said. I didn't feel to happy either, he probably knew that too.

"I'm okay," I grumbled. He nodded, not pushing the matter any farther.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I was aware of the motions I was doing, the words I was saying. It was just like I was auto-pilot all day.

I was shocked into the present when Jasper picked me up from my last class.

"I'm giving you a ride to La Push, right?" asked Jasper.

I blinked out of my zombie state. I had forgotten that I had plans to go see Jacob.

"That would be nice," I said. I could see his brow crease in worry. At least he didn't say anything about why he was worried. Edward sure would have. Edward would have tried to talk me out of going the whole ride to the reservation.

Jasper opened my door for me and waited while I got in. He walked around the front of the car and I could see the extra effort it took him to walk human speed. I couldn't help but laugh.

He got in and looked at me, puzzled. "What are you laughing about?" he asked, starting the car and reversing out of the spot.

"You should have seen your face just now," I answered, still laughing.

"Why's that?" he asked. We were on the main road that led out of Forks.

"I can see how much you hate to walk slow, it's a little bit funny," I replied honestly.

"That's really nice, Bella. Thanks for laughing at my pain, I really appreciate it," he said, hiding a smile.

"No problemo."

"So," started Jasper, his tone abruptly changing, "I would like it if you would take this cell phone with you. It's just to ease my nerves, that's all. It'd make me feel better about you visiting him," he said in a rush. He held out a cell phone.

I grabbed it and shoved it in my pocket. "Whatever makes you happy," I answered.

He pulled to a stop and turned off the engine. A few meters away I could see Jacob leaning against his car.

"Call me if you have any problems, okay?" asked Jasper.

"I will, I promise," I replied sincerely.

Jasper nodded and I saw him lean toward me. He trailed his finger down my cheek, pausing at my chin. He looked like he was speculating something, I could only guess what. He smiled and let me go.

"Have fun," he said, he tantalizing breath blowing in my face.

It was a moment before I could move at all. When I did, I got out of the car mechanically, and close the door.

The closer I got to Jake, the more irritated his expression became. When I finally reached him he cracked a smile. I frowned, it was Sam's smile, not mine.

I got into the car quietly. I looked over and saw that he was trying to conceal his anger. I knew him too well though, I called his bluff.

"What's wrong?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

"The way you act around him... it drives me crazy," he said, his voice muted.

"The way I act around him is none of your business," I snapped.

"The hell it isn't, Bella," he growled. I was confused when he drove straight past his house.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm kidnapping you. If your not smart enough to leave him on your own, I'll take you away from him myself. Rotten Bloodsuckers."

I gasped. Kidnapping me? "Jacob Black, you pull this car over right now, god dammit!" I exclaimed. I wasn't one to cuss, so when I did it was because something big was happening. "You are not worth anything to me! Hear that? Nothing! You never were and you never will be!" I screamed.

He pulled the car over and turned to me, shuddering. "Stay here, Bella," he said before leaping out of the car. He disappeared into the woods.

I was shocked. Jacob tried to steal me from Jasper, literally. I sat in the car, staring into the woods, waiting for him to come back. When the phone buzzed, I yelped. It startled me.

"H-hello?" I answered.

"Bella?" asked Jasper. "What's wrong? Did he hurt you? Are you okay?"

"I-I-I think I need to be rescued," I whispered.

"I'm on my way," said Jasper, his voice ringing with authority. The line went dead.

I snapped the phone shut and then dropped it as I realized what was happening. Jasper was going to La Push. He would break the treaty. He would be killed...

And it was all my fault.

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**Ahh! I'm so mean xD!! Worst cliffie in Savannah history, I think. **

**Review, it makes the grass greener on THIS side.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I really am slacking on my updates, eh? Well, enjoy!****

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Bella's POV 

I snatched the phone back up off the floor of the car. With trembling hands, I punched in Jasper's number. It rang several times, he never answered.

I sank down onto the seat, still clutching the phone. My breathing had speed up to the point where I was only an inch away from hyperventilating. It couldn't have been five minutes before I heard the door open, a little to hard.

I shot up and looked to the door. Jasper was standing there, his face enraged, door in hand. I gasped, he'd ripped the whole thing from the car.

He dropped it and it landed on the ground with a loud thump. Without a word, he scooped me up and started running.

"You're on the reservation! They're going to get you, Jasper!" I exclaimed, my voice dry.

"Nonsense," he said calmly. I could tell he was covering something up.

We reached the car in record time, but it wasn't the car I was expecting.

He opened the door to the Volvo and put me in the back seat. I hit something cold and hard. I hit Rosalie, and she wasn't happy about it. I'd have bruises from her rock hard body.

I opened my mouth to ask what was going on when Jasper interrupted.

"Edward, Carlisle, and Emmett are distracting the mutts. Esme and Alice are at your house packing a bag. Rosalie's here just in case something goes wrong," he said in a rush. We were already speeding down the slick road towards my house.

"How are they distracting the wolves?" I asked. I didn't want anyone to get hurt, especially if it'd be all my fault.

"They are running closer and closer to the territory line and then away again. Teasing them," answered Rosalie, her voice scathing. I cringed, she was mad at me. I was putting her Emmett in danger.

The mood in the car was dark. Jasper was worried, Rosalie was mad, and I was scared, not a good mix for an enjoyable time.

"Charlie's at work right now, what am I going to tell him?" I asked.

"You're leaving him a note that says the breakup just hit you, and you need to get out of town for awhile to get away from reminders of Edward. You can call him from the plane," explained Jasper.

I nodded, accepting the fact that I wouldn't get to see my dad before I left to wherever it was we were escaping to.

When we got to the house, the car screeched to a stop. Jasper was at the door in less than a second. He helped me out of the car, hurried me into the house, and rushed me into the living room. Rosalie stayed in the car. Esme and Alice were already in the room, each of them with an overnight bad slung over their shoulders.

"Write the note, Hun," said Esme, handing me a note pad and pen.

I scratched out a note that "explained" the situation. Charlie would not take lightly to it, he probably wouldn't trust me with anything again. It was the chance I'd have to take.

Once I was finished, Jasper hurried me, once again, into the car. I climbed into the back and sat next to Rosalie. Alice slid in next to me. Esme got into the passenger seat.

Jasper started the car and shot down the street, the tires squealed loudly.

"We're meeting the other's at the house. Bella, you'll go with Edward in my car. Esme will go with Emmett, Alice with me, and Rosalie with Carlisle. We want to mix the scent as much as possible. We'll all end up meeting in Seattle," said Jasper, his voice wavering.

I looked out the window and wasn't surprised at all to see that we were only minutes from the Cullen's home.

The minutes passed like seconds. In no time at all I was standing in front of the house, Edward by my side. Jasper hadn't even had time to say bye before he left.

I glared at Edward and walked to Jasper's car, determined not to let him do anything polite. I was too late, he had already opened the door for me.

"Thanks," I muttered, plopping into the car. He slipped noiselessly into the driver's seat, started the engine, and floored it.

Neither of us said a word. Instead, I listened to the music that was pumping out of the speakers. It wasn't the forties music that I had become accustomed to, but something violent, angry.

"What is this?" I asked.

"The Sweeney Todd soundtrack," he said in a disinterested tone.

"A little morbid, don't you think?" I commented. As far as I knew, Sweeney Todd was a play about killing people and then making them into meat pies. Not quite my cup of tea, that was for sure.

"Despite the common misconception that Sweeney Todd is nothing but a gore fest, I enjoyed the play. It's much more than just blood and guts, the plot captures the audience. It has it's bits of twisted humor, also a plus. I saw the movie recently and thought that was interesting also. Tim Burton always puts a unique spin on things, he was perfect for the Sweeney Todd job."

By the time he was done with his rant I was gaping at him. Edward wasn't particularly fond of movies. He had always told me that they all followed the same rules, that nobody ever stepped outside the box. I guess Sweeney Todd was out of the box enough for Edward.

When I didn't say anything, he snapped off the stereo, leaving nothing but the faint sound of the engine humming.

"Why am I with you?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"They think you'd want to be with Jasper, not me. Of course, that's assuming you told the mutt what's happened between us. So, because I'm the person you're least likely to be with, you get to ride with me," he answered simply.

"Are the other's safe?"

"Why would you even ask that, Bella? Have we ever, in the entire time you've known us, intentionally put you in danger?" he asked.

"I didn't ask about me. I don't care what happens to me. I need all of you to be safe!" I exclaimed.

"You don't have any sense of self preservation, do you?! Don't you get it, Bella? This isn't about us, it's about you. It's always been about you, ever since the day I vowed I would keep you alive, no matter what happened!" His words rang throughout the car, hurting my ears.

I kept my opinion to myself. It didn't matter what happened to me if one of the Cullen's got hurt... or killed.

I decided to change the subject. "Where are we going?"

"Seattle," he replied dully. His hands were clamped tightly around the steering wheel, his knuckles bone white from the tension.

"After Seattle," I clarified, biting back the sarcastic remark I had planned to throw at him. I'd heard we were going to Seattle, he knew that. He was trying to get me to drop it.

"I don't think I'm in a position to tell you that quite yet," he said after a minutes pause.

"What do you mean?" I asked, keeping my voice down.

"I don't want you to get... anxious."

My breathing hitched up a notch. What did he mean, anxious?

"Who is in a position to tell me?" I was getting the feeling that there was only one person who could.

"Well, Jasper," he sighed, giving in. "You'll see him in a few minutes, we're almost there.

I guessed that "there" was the Seattle airport. It was nearing nightfall outside, the perfect time for vampires to be running about. At least we wouldn't have to worry about being exposed.

True to his word, five minutes later we were parked and ready to go. Edward popped the trunk and grabbed both my bags out of the back, carrying one on each shoulder.

"This way," he said, grabbing my arm gently and leading me to the end of the parking structure. He hurried me down a flight of stairs, and we were deposited in a hallway.

In no time flat, I was flanked on all sides by my inhumanly beautiful entourage. Jasper, who was on my right, grabbed my hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. They walked at a swift pace, it took a lot for me to keep up.

"Where are we going?" I whispered, wishing to keep the conversation as private as possible. I knew it was a vain attempt, having friends with super heightened hearing wasn't always a good thing.

He pulled me closer to him, our bodies touching, causing me to stumble a little. "Later, love. We'll discuss it later," he said, pasting on a very false smile. I could see right through him.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise," he agreed.

Jasper practically dragged me through security. We stopped only once, when he had to give me my boarding pass.

Once we entered the gate and were finally seated, I took note of my surroundings. It was a small plane, but it was totally packed. It would be much more than difficult to get Jasper to tell me where we were going here.

I was seated next to Jasper, of course. When the plane started racing down the runway, I closed my eyes. I never had a problem with flying, but the take-off and landing were always a bit scary for me.

I started thinking of ways to get Jasper to tell me where we were headed.

It turns out, I didn't need Jasper to tell me.

Over the intercom, the pilot's voice sounded. "Ladies and gentleman, this is your pilot speaking. Everything is in order and we are safely en route to Italy."

I quickly glanced at my boarding pass for conformation. I saw the word Italy in big black block letters.

I turned to Jasper, my mouth hanging open. He quickly gathered me into a tight embrace, and I felt the panic drain from my body.

"They can't help us, Jasper. They'll kill you, they'll kill everyone," I whispered.

"Shh, it's all going to be okay, Bella," he said, rubbing my back. I felt myself begin to drift off. He was making me sleep, trying to make me forget. It was no use.

I knew as well as he did, there was no way the Volturi would help us.

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**I really like Sweeney Todd, just in case you hadn't guessed. :D I've seen it three times already! I won't go into details but, lets just say I've got quite the collection of Sweeney items.**

**Anyway!**

**Review, it'll make a meat pie out of you. (It's a good thing, I promise!)**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm so lame. What's it been, a month? Sorry, loves!**

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Bella's POV 

The minutes drifted, turning to hours as we sat. No one spoke. Jasper clutched me to his chest, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. Being under Jasper's influence, I knew I couldn't trust what I was feeling.

"Jasper?" I whispered, my voice hoarse.

"Yes, Bella?"

"Why are we going to Italy?" I asked.

He was silent, still. I pulled away and looked into his eyes, he looked away.

"To get away from the mutts," he answered after a second. His answer was too cool, too calculated. It wasn't the truth.

"Oh," I said lamely, turning away to look out the window.

"It's the truth, Bella," said Jasper.

I was about to reply when I heard Rosalie in the row behind us. "We are dragged all over the place for that human, I'm sick of it," she said, her tone nasty.

I looked to Jasper, he hissed, a sound almost too quiet for my ears. From the corner of my eye I saw Rosalie cross her arms and glare daggers at the back of Jasper's seat.

Jasper took me, once again, into his arms. "Would I let anything hurt you, Bella?" he whispered, his lips at my ear.

I shivered, and shook my head.

"Then why are you so worried?" he asked.

"I've had bad experiences in Italy, you know that," I said, my voice not even audible to my own ears.

"All the better reason to make some good experiences there," he replied.

"Fat chance," I muttered. He sighed. "How did you get the rest of them to help us?" I asked, changing the subject. I didn't care that they were in close enough proximity to hear us at that point.

"Please fasten your seatbelts, we will be landing in a moment," came the voice over the speakers. Jasper took that point to avoid the question. It was okay, I could wait.

The plane touched down and we were hurried out. I was quickly surrounded on all sides, probably not even visible to anyone looking. Jasper grabbed my hand.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah." That was putting it lightly, I was starving.

He pulled me away from the group, and led me to the small selection of cafe's and eateries. I looked back, none of the Cullen's were standing there anymore.

"Take your pick!" he exclaimed, motioning to the shops.

I chose a little bakery. The bagel I got was dry, bland in my mouth.

"How did you get them to help us?" I asked again. Now that we wouldn't be interrupted, he wouldn't have a choice but to answer.

"They still love you, you know. I called Edward and told him that you were in trouble. That the dog was going to take you. Needless to say, he reacted very quickly to that. He called the rest of the family, naturally they all took his side. Within five minutes everything had been planned. We were to come to Italy, and they couldn't follow to get back at us for breaking the treaty. Technically, I was the only one that broke the treaty. I went on the land, not the others. So, if comes down to it, I'll be the one that'll be in trouble, not them," he said, not pausing to let me interject.

"Wait, if it comes down to it, we're running away. You aren't going to fight, right? We'll run, right?" I asked, my voice hitching up an octave. Nothing would happen to him, I would make sure of that.

"It doesn't matter," he laughed. "They'll never find us!"

I shoved the last bit of bagel into my mouth and stood up. I looked at Jasper, expecting him to stand with me.

He didn't. He was frozen to his seat, his face grave.

"What?" I asked, nervous.

He was by my side in a matter of seconds.

"Bella, don't let go of my arm, don't talk, stay calm," he whispered.

I stifled the question that was building in my throat. He was walking swiftly, I had to jog to keep up.

I looked around, curious as to what was making us leave.

My mouth fell open. Exiting the hall that led from the plane was Jacob, and he was looking right at me. He was flanked on both sides by Sam, Paul, and Quil. They stood out among the other people. They were tall, intimidating.

"Oh god," I whispered as we entered the door to the parking structure. They disappeared out of sight. I hoped Jasper had a plan.

In seconds Edward had screeched up in a dark red convertible.

Jasper rushed me into the car, hopped in beside me, and slammed the door. It was only Edward in the car, I had no idea where the rest of the family was.

"How?" asked Jasper, his voice muted. He was restraining himself.

"They have a fund, an emergency fund," explained Edward. "They've been saving money for generations. They used it to buy the tickets to get Bella."

Jasper growled, furious. "You're sure that's what they're thinking? You're sure they're not just on... a vacation?"

"Dammit, Jasper! I know what I heard!" yelled Edward, hitting the wheel with his fist. The car was quiet, nobody daring to speak.

"Where are the others?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"They took different cars. We took the fastest ones they had," Edward muttered through clenched teeth.

"Where are we going?" I spoke again, pushing Edward's temper.

"Volterra," he said, his voice growing quiet.

"Oh," I gulped. Of course we were going to Volterra. A city filled to the brim with vampires, a place no werewolf would ever want to set foot in. I still couldn't fathom why going to Volterra was a wise choice. The last time I went, I barely escaped with my life.

I started to shake, and Jasper took me into his arms. Edward made a disgusted sound, his hands clamped tighter around the wheel.

"Edward, give up your pity party! This isn't about you right now!" yelled Jasper, his chest shuddering against my ear.

Edward stayed uncharacteristically quiet, never a good sign. He was going to stew in his anger, let it all out after he's marinated in it for awhile.

Jasper held me until I felt myself drift to sleep. I was exhausted, tired of having my world fall to pieces.

It seemed like seconds later when I heard his voice in my ear.

"Bella, wake up," whispered Jasper. My eyes shot open, I gasped.

"Sorry, you scared me," I breathed as he situated me into a sitting position. I'd fallen down so my head was on his lap while I was sleeping.

"Where are they?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"The mutts? Oh, they're back there a little ways... I wouldn't be surprised if they got to the wall tonight, though."

"Where are we?" I asked, my mid still clouded from my nap.

"We're here, Volterra," he answered grimly.

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**Review, you'll be able to fly.**

(Savannah is not responsible for injuries sustained from trying to fly.)


	13. Chapter 13

**Haha... here ya are.**

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**Bella's POV**

I stumbled out of the car, not quite awake yet. It was dark outside, nighttime. The high stone buildings of the city leaned over, blocking even the light of the moon. It was a tight fit for the small car. I could hardly get out of the vehicle without hitting some part of my body on the wall.

Edward came around the front of the car.

"We'll be there in a minute," said Jasper. Edward nodded and disappeared.

"Bella, there's been something that I've been thinking about, something I've been wanting to try," whispered Jasper after Edward was out of earshot.

"What is it?" I asked.

He slowly stepped closer to me. I stopped breathing. He took my face in his hands, gently bringing his face to mine. Softly, and every so smoothly, he pressed his lips to mine.

I couldn't restrain myself. I wrapped my arms around him, my hands tangled in his hair. To my surprise, he didn't stop me. He hugged me closer, kissing me with more fervor than Edward ever did.

He pushed me against the wall, his hands at my waist. He pulled me closer to him, as close as I could be. Our lips parted, I tasted the delicious scent that had always left me wanting more. It was better than I imagined, better than I remembered.

When he stopped, it was abrupt.

"Should I?" I panted, motioning to the right. If he needed space, I'd give it to him.

"No," he replied. He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine, taking deep, slow breaths.

He took my hand and, without a word, led me down the street. When we got to the plaza, I barely recognized it. It seemed like a million years ago when I was running through it. The fountain was smaller than I remembered. It was probably because I didn't have to run across it this trip.

We passed the alley where Edward stood, waiting for the right moment to step into the sun. I shuddered at the memory. At least we didn't have to go underground this time.

The night was cold, and I soon felt myself shivering. I hadn't thought to get my jacket out of the car, a stupid idea on my part. Jasper took off his jacket and draped it around me. I almost drowned in it because it was so big on me, but it was worth it. It smelled like Jasper, always a good thing.

We turned onto a street and I stopped where I stood. Perhaps I should have looked back when I left last time. At least then I would have seen what an imposing structure the Volturi lived in.

We entered through the front door, a luxury I was denied last time I came. A draft of warm air hit me when we entered, almost instantly warming me.

It was the people that made me shiver though. The receptionist, I thought her name was Gianna, smiled at me, clear venom in her greeting... I'm sure her memories of me were not very fond.

There was something different about her... something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I didn't pay enough attention to her to remember her every feature, but there was something.

It struck me when Jasper and I passed her. She leaned in, almost as if she was sniffing me. I knew what it was, what the subtle change was... she had red eyes. They had finally made her a vampire. She licked her lips, unconsciously taking a step closer to me.

Jasper let out a low growl. She snapped back into place, her face falling back into it's indifferent mask.

"Elevators are to the left, they are waiting," she said kindly. I could see the hunger in her eyes.

Jasper tugged me along, pressing the button on the wall impatiently. I looked at his face and saw the worry. It didn't matter how well he tried to hide it, I could tell.

That was what started me hyperventilating. I couldn't stop, and soon I was sobbing. The ding for the elevator sounded, but Jasper ignored it, all his attention focused on me.

His cool hands on my face brought me back to earth, quieting the tears.

"Shh," he murmured, pulling me into an embrace.

"Jasper, why are we here? Please, just tell me why!" I rasped.

"For protection," he breathed into my ear.

Protection? Since when did the Cullen family have to have protection?

"Are they really that dangerous?" I asked.

"More dangerous than we thought they were," he answered.

I took a deep breath, calming myself down. If we were just here for protection, not for some other dark purpose, perhaps I'd be okay.

Jasper broke away and pushed the elevator button once again. The ring sounded right away and we stepped in.

As soon as the doors opened, we were face to face with Aro. I jumped, the unexpected face startling me.

"Welcome, friends!" he exclaimed. He smiled, the papery skin on his face wrinkling with the effort. "Come with me, please." He led us down a dark hallway lined with stone. It was getting increasingly colder, the sun never shining through the windows.

Jasper and I followed, not saying a word.

"It's nice to have you back, Bella. Though, I am sort of disappointed. I thought they would have changed you by now. As long as they are still planning on it, I wont penalize you yet."

I shuddered, remembering the deal Edward made with the Volturi. He didn't shake Aro's hand, so Aro didn't know that there was never a plan for me to be changed in the first place.

He opened the door, taking us into a large circular room. It wasn't the same room I was in before, but it looked almost exactly the same. The entire Cullen family was standing in the middle of the room. It seemed that they had little meeting rooms all over the place.

"I'm glad you came to us for help," said Aro, gesturing around the room. "We will be happy to provide protection, but there will be a price that will need to be payed, as always."

"What's the price?" asked Carlisle. I thought that Carlisle would have been able to pull some strings, be able to make them protect us for nothing.

"We haven't come up with the exact price yet, but when we do, you'll be the first to know," said Aro politely. "You will each be shown to your separate rooms."

I was glad when we were herded out of the room. I needed a place to lie down. The events of the past few days were catching up to me. Frankly, I was surprised I'd made it as long as I did.

After he'd shown everyone but Jasper and I our rooms, he stopped at the end of another long stone hallway. I'd never be able to find my way out of the place, it was like a giant maze.

"Bella, this is your room. It's the only room with a bed, sorry," apologized Aro. He opened the door and I gasped. It was the most beautiful room I'd ever seen.

The walls were painted a deep red, the floor gray tile. The bed was in the center of the room, the mattress alone looked like it was three feet tall. It was a canopy bed, the pillows were overflowing out the head. It was decorated with Renaissance themed furniture, everything elegantly detailed.

"Will it suit you?" asked Aro. I nodded, not able to find my voice.

"I'll leave you alone then." He swept down the hallway, leaving Jasper and I together.

"Are you going to be okay here?" he asked, taking my hand.

"Yeah. I'm really tired right now, actually. I'll be glad to get a bit of sleep." I yawned, covering my mouth with my hand.

"I'll see you when you wake up," he whispered. He leaned down to give me a goodnight kiss, and was gone.

I stumbled into the room, closing and locking the door. I knew that if someone really wanted in, a simple lock on the door wouldn't stop them.

I looked around, my bag was already in the room. I yanked the zipper open and pulled out a pair of my favorite pajama pants. I'd barely slipped them on and fell into bed before I'd fallen fast asleep.

I was happy there were no dreams that night. Nothing to make my sleep unpleasant. At least, until it was interrupted by the noise of my door handle turning. My eyes flew open, my body rigid.

"Jasper?" I whispered. I hoped that's who it was. Anyone else would be very unwelcome.

"Wrong," whispered a voice.

"Edward!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I missed you," he said as he slipped into bed beside me.

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**Review, it makes you rock puzzles.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Enjoy :)**

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I stayed silent. He missed me? He was the one who left me in the first place. Perhaps he should have thought about how he would have missed me before he cheated on me.

But, there was a part of me that missed him too. A part of me still loved him, no matter what he did. He was the one I was willing to give up my life for.

He put his arm around my waist. The hard, cold arm felt nice on my skin. It was familiar. I nestled into him, relishing the feeling.

"I forgot how pleasant the warmth was," Edward muttered, tightening his hold on my waist.

"Edward?" I asked.

"Hmm?" he whispered.

"Why are you here?"

He chuckled in my ear. The sound sent chills through me.

"I love you," he said at my ear. "I was a fool, I know that. I couldn't help it! I finally told Alice that we were not meant to be, that I only loved her as a sister. Screw 'imprinting', I love you, Bella. I know, in some odd way, that Alice and I were destined for each other, but that isn't the same thing as being right for one another."

"I don't understand." Did he break things off with Alice?

"Bella, my life has no meaning, no _anything_ without you. Alice and I are no longer together," he explained.

He didn't say another word. I felt his weight shift, he was leaning into me. His cool, smooth lips pressed against my jaw line.

I gasped, not expecting the gesture. His lips made their was up, they were at mine in a second. And, in a move that surprised the both of us, I kissed him back. I kissed him with every ounce of my being. My hands found their way around him, I hugged him even closer.

His hands knotted in my hair, his lips parted.

I was all too eager to accept this new development, much to eager.

"Bella," he growled, softly pushing me away. He rolled onto his back beside me. Perhaps I took it a little too far, but I could care less. That had been the best kiss of my life, the best kiss of anyones life as far as I was concerned.

There was something wrong, something that I'd forgotten while I was kissing Edward. No, there was someone I'd forgotten.

"Where's Jasper?" I breathed, my heartbeat pumping even faster.

"Hunting," he answered. The name of his brother did not seem to phase him in the least.

"Okay," I whispered. I wasn't ready to accept the fact that what I'd just done was wrong. It felt so right!

"Edward?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"I want you to kiss me again." My voice shook.

"Your wish," he said, kissing my neck. "Is my command."

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I woke up later than I usually would have. It probably had something to do with the huge amount of kissing I did the night before. It tired me out! 

I opened my eyes, the room was dark. I remembered Edward ducking out of the room at some early hour of the morning. 

"Good morning," said a voice. I shot upright, looking around. 

Jasper was sitting in a chair across the room. 

"Hi," I mumbled, smoothing my hair down. 

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, standing up from the chair and walking to the bed. 

"Mmhmm," I hummed. My voice would betray me if I spoke... almost as much as I betrayed him. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed and scooped me up into a hug. 

"Why do you feel guilty?" he questioned. He felt my mood. I'd have to learn to mask my emotions better if I was going to hang around Jasper. 

I thought fast, searching for something to say. "You guys are risking so much for me," I croaked. 

I was a horrible person. Jasper was never going to speak to me again once he found out about Edward and me. I might as well just frolic up to the entire Volturi and give myself a paper cut. 

"You know that we would risk anything for you," he said, trailing a finger down my cheek. 

My stomach swooned. I was sick with myself, physically sick. I leaped off the bed and ran to the bathroom. Thank god there was an adjoining one, or I'd be in serious trouble. 

I ran to the toilet and promptly emptied the contents of my stomach into it. It wasn't much, I'd hardly eaten at all lately. 

Jasper was at my side in a second, comforting me, holding my hair back. 

"Go away," I moaned. 

"Bella, there's nothing to be embarrassed about," said Jasper, assuming I wanted him to go away for the wrong reason. 

"I'm not, just go," I managed to blurt before I was hit with another wave of nausea. 

"Bella," he protested. 

"Go!" I screeched. I was sick enough without him being all charming. Every word he said just made the feeling come back twice as strong as it was before. 

I watched him leave, the pit in my stomach growing ever deeper. I'd cheated on him, almost barfed on him, _and_ made him sad. I was horrible. 

Once I was sure it was safe to move, I inched towards the main room. On a tray next to my bed was a plate of food. As sick as I was, I was also starving. 

I propped myself up on the bed and took little bites of the food they provided me with. The tray had huge mounds of fruit on it, but no other food. There was a cup of water by the plate. 

I gingerly sipped the water, not wanting anything to trigger my stomach heaves again. 

I heard the door open a crack, but there were no footsteps on the tile. 

"Alice!" I exclaimed, surprised. She was the last person I expected to see. 

She stalked towards me, not answering. 

"Why, Bella?" she asked, her voice quavering. 

"What?" I asked. 

"Why would you do that to Jasper? I thought you were good enough for him, but you're not! He deserves better than you!" she whispered. She sat on the edge of my bed. 

"I... I couldn't help it," I answered, dropping my head. "I missed him..." 

She sighed. "I love you, Bella. Sorry for my outburst. I don't really feel that way, honest. You must be in one hell of a bind right now, but you have to choose. It's cruel to continue things with Jasper when you want to be with Edward. Or if you want to be with Jasper, break things off with Edward." 

"I didn't mean to hurt anybody," I whispered.

Alice gave me a hug. "I know, Bella. But it's going to happen, you won't be able to stop it. Who do you want to be with?" 

I thought for a second. "Jasper." 

"Okay, here's what I think you should do. First, I think you should come completely clean with him. Tell him about what happened with Edward, about how it made you feel. Then, and only then, will you be able to be with Jasper and feel good about it," she explained. "It may be hard, but it's something you need to do." 

"You're right," I sighed. 

"I'll go get him." She stood up and left the room. 

I sat, rocking in place, until I heard Jasper come in the door. 

"Are you okay? I was really worried," he said, taking a seat beside me.

"I'm fine," I whispered. "But, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" he asked. His face transformed, the worry painted all over it was heart wrenching. 

"Edward came in last night." 

"And?" he urged. 

"We kissed... more than once," I whispered, my voice almost silent.

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** Review, nobody will steal the cookies from the cookie jar.**


	15. Chapter 15

**SNOW DAY! Thank the lords of the sky that it snowed. No school New Chapter!**

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"More than once?" he murmured.

"Yes, and... I liked it at the time. I think I just wanted closure. But, after it was all done, I realized what a huge mistake I made! I like you Jasper. Edward is nothing... nothing. I want you, not him," I whispered.

"Wait, so what your saying is, Edward came into your room last night and you had a nice little romp around the sheets?" he asked calmly. I didn't know if he wanted an answer, so I didn't talk.

He hung his head, his face grave. "How could you, Bella? I trusted you!" He stood up, throwing his arms in the air. "I thought that you'd have the decency to restrain yourself, the decency to at least say no! All Edward does is say a few nice words, a few nice little words, and you're all over him! I cannot believe you!" he yelled.

"I couldn't help it!" I spat back. He ran up to me, his face only inches from mine. There was something different about him... something very different.

"Oh, Jasper," I whimpered. His eyes were not golden, not golden at all.

He turned away. "It was an accident, I promise," he whispered. "She was there, all... broken, hurt. It looked like she was attacked by an animal. I was hunting at the time! I wasn't thinking rationally and I lost control."

He looked distraught. Jasper did not like killing people, no matter how broken or hurt they were.

"Come here," I commanded.

He walked slowly, exceptionally slowly for Jasper, to the edge of the bed. He sat down and laid back, resting across the bed. He shut his eyes and took shaky breaths.

"Edward is nothing compared to you," I whispered at his ear. I'd never thought I'd change the subject back to the topic of cheating, but the murder thing seemed like it was taking more of a toll on him. I moved to his side and laid my head down to rest against his shoulder.

His arm encircled my shoulder. "I can't lose you, Bella," he sighed. "You help me, probably more than you even know. If it weren't for you... I have no idea where I'd be right now." He squeezed my shoulder and sat up.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I just couldn't help it..."

He turned around, his face pained. "I have to go. I'll be back later," Jasper said quietly. He got up slowly and walked to the door.

I curled into a ball when I heard the door close. He was mad, I could tell. I did feel better after telling him everything. If he wanted me back after that we'd have no secrets. I'd tell him every single thing.

I'd tell him about Jacob, about how I love him, werewolf or not. I'd tell him that somewhere inside me, I'd always love Edward.

The door opened again and I buried my face in the bed. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now.

"Go away," I said, my voice muffled my the bed.

"No, we need to talk." It was Edward's voice. I sighed, I didn't want to do this right now. Wasn't one relationship talk enough for a day.

"Look, Edward," I started.

"Listen to me, Bella," Edward interrupted. He stood across the room, arms folded. "If you wanted to be with Jasper you should have told me," he said, voice sharp. I flinched, waiting for the yelling.

He was beside the bed in a second, towering over me. "I would have understood. Just tell me, tell me who you really want, Bella." His voice turned gentle, his face softened.

"Jasper," I replied quietly.

He nodded and left the room. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

He was gone for less than a minute when I heard a knock on the door. I rolled my eyes. People would not stop talking to me today!

"Come in," I called.

Aro, Marcus, and Caius walked into the room. I froze. Here I was, halfway to tears, and dressed in my jammies.

"Bella, we need you to come with us," said Aro. For once his voice was grave, lacking his usual cheery tone. My heart rate went into overdrive.

I figured it would be best to listen to them. As old as they looked, they could easily overpower me.

I climbed clumsily off the bed and made my way to Aro. He grabbed my hand and I jumped. He smiled and took me into the hallway. Aro did not seem aggravated by my gimpy pace, but I could hear Marcus and Caius sighing behind us.

They took me into a room, another circular one. It was probably the we were taken to the day before. Streams of sunlight shone through the long skinny windows, making the three of them sparkle. We were the only ones in the room. There was a chair in the center, the only piece of furniture in the room. It smelled faintly of blood, the scent made my stomach drop. I hated blood, everything about it.

"Sit," said Caius, his voice monotone. I did as I was told.

"Well, Bella. We said that we required payment in order to protect you. We've decided on what we want," explained Aro.

"What?" I asked.

"We want you to be changed," he answered, smiling weakly.

I gasped, my throat closed up.

"We'd do it in the least painful way possible, of course," said Aro, trying to comfort me.

"I-I don't think..." I shuddered. I couldn't speak. I didn't want to be changed, not yet.

"Oh, you wont have to," said Marcus. It was the first time I'd ever seen him smile.

I was about to protest when I heard a commotion outside the door. Jasper and Edward came bursting into the room.

"Please," pleaded Jasper.

"Don't do it!" exclaimed Edward.

Aro grinned. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Were we interfering with any of your previous plans?" he inquired.

"Well, yes," said Jasper, his voice controlled.

"Sorry," said Marcus. He didn't sound very sorry at all. "The only way we are willing to reconsider is if one of you make her a vampire. Either way, she will be one in the very near future."

I started to shake uncontrollably. I wasn't ready for this new development. Yes, I did want to be a vampire, but not before I wrapped up my old life.

Jasper look at me, his face alive with indecision. "What if we don't?" he asked, his eyes never leaving my face.

"I'm sure she'll make a delicious snack," said Caius. Both Jasper and Edward growled.

I didn't want anybody to fight. Not now, not ever.

"Okay!" I exclaimed, distracting everyone. "I'll do it," I sighed.

"Bella," started Jasper.

"No, I'm going to do it. Please, don't try to talk me out of it," I whispered.

"Who would you like to do it?" Aro asked, his voice regaining it's usual tone.

I looked at the room of people. Jasper, Edward, Marcus, Caius, and Aro all stared back at me, all of them had the same look in their eyes.

I knew who I wanted to change me, but I had no idea if he could actually do it. I looked at Jasper, his eyes still tinted red. He slipped sometimes, made mistakes, but he was the one that I wanted to change me. It was a risk, but it was one I was willing to take.

"Jasper, can you do it?" I asked.

He froze. "I can try, but it might not end the way you want it to. I don't recommend letting me do it, Bella," Jasper replied.

"Please," I breathed. I wanted Jasper to change me more than anything.

He moved over to stand in front of my chair. He grabbed my hand and helped me up. We were only inches apart.

I reached up on my tiptoes so my face could reach his. He grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me right there in front of everybody.

I heard Edward growl. Aro laughed. Marcus and Caius snickered.

He stopped before I collapsed from lack of oxygen.

"I love you," I murmured.

"I'll do it," he whispered.

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**Review, Jasper will visit you.**

**YUM!**


	16. Chapter 16

**So, the 6th is my birthday. That's only a few hours away in my time zone... :)**

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"Very well," said Aro, clapping his hands together. "Jasper, we will let you prepare." He turned to me. "Bella, I will take you back to your room."

I nodded. Jasper took my hand, kissed each knuckle, then left the room.

I looked at Edward. He was looking anywhere but at me. I could see the hurt, the betrayal in his eyes. He didn't have a right to feel betrayed. He was the one who started it all.

Aro took my hand and led me out of the room. I was glad. I couldn't look at Edward anymore.

"Excited?" Aro asked when we were walking down the stone hallway.

"Not particularly," I murmured.

"Well, if I wouldn't have shaken Edward's hand this morning, you would not even be in this mess! I saw what he was planning... or wasn't planning," he explained.

So that was the reason for the decision. Aro saw that that the Cullen's were not planning on changing me in the first place.

We reached my room, he opened the door.

"Any last meal requests?" He smiled wryly, thinking he'd just made a brilliant joke.

"I've lost my appetite," I snarled, closing the door in his face. I heard his chuckle through the door.

I started to rifle through my bag. Any busy work would keep my mind off what was going to happen to me in the very near future.

I got dressed and brushed my teeth. When I was done, I sat on the bed. Trying to think about nothing was a lot harder than it sounded.

I soon found myself absentmindedly tracing the scar on my right hand. The memory hit me then, the memory of the pain. James' bite had been a lot more than just a little bit uncomfortable. I clearly remembered the feeling...

I fell onto back, my hands clutching my head. I had to force that memory out of my mind.

That was how Jasper found me.

"Bella," he whispered. I sat up and controlled my thoughts. The mere sight of Jasper made everything better.

"I'm okay." I hopped off the bed and went to stand in front of him.

"Ready?" he asked, snaking his arms around my waist. I looked into his eyes, now only rimmed in red. The rest was the golden color I'd come to love.

I grinned, thinking of how I'd technically be dead once he bit me. It reminded me of a song...

"It's a dead man's party," I giggled. I hopped he hadn't noticed the faint hint of hysteria in my voice.

Jasper sighed. "This is no time to be making stray Oingo Boingo references, Bella."

"Sorry," I said, hiding my smile.

He ignored me. "Okay, Bella. We need to do this as soon as possible. Every second I don't... bite you, is a second where the city is unprotected," he explained.

I nodded, afraid to open my mouth at the risk of getting sick again.

"I think it'll be more comfortable if you lie down," he said, motioning to the bed. When I didn't move, he grabbed my arm and led me to the bed. I climbed on and did as he suggested.

"I don't want you to be caught off guard, so I'm not going to lie to you and say it won't hurt. It will hurt... a lot. You'll be under my influence, of course, but I can only do so much," he explained, his eyes alive with concern.

"Jasper?" I croaked.

"Hmm?"

"I love you," I whispered, voice shaking.

"I love you too," he replied. It was the first time he'd said it.

Picked up my arm, trailing his finger from my wrist to the inside of my elbow. He put his lips to my wrist. He kissed it, his eyes flashed to mine... he bit down.

At first it felt like a paper cut, a dull, annoying pain. It was only after a few seconds that it began to live up to my memory.

I had not so much as screamed when I felt another incision, my other wrist this time. Then came my neck, I could see what it did to his face when he bit me. My blood, tempting him more than anything, was pumping into his mouth.

He pulled away though, his face pinched.

The combined force of all three bites was enough to make me scream out. The fire, the sensation that my insides were being burned, was impossible to get passed.

"Jasper!" I shrieked. My vision blurred, my head swam.

I felt cool hands on my face, pushing back my hair. I grabbed at the arm, clutching onto it for dear life. Jasper's cool hands slightly soothed the area it touched, but not enough to stop the pain entirely.

I felt it, the incredible, searing feeling, creep slowly through my veins. It would never stop, the pain would never stop. I'd rather be stabbed with a knife than go through the fire.

"Kill me," I moaned.

"Don't think like that," said Jasper. I could hardly hear him, my screams echoed off the walls. "It's okay, Bella!"

I writhed on the bed, tremors of pain wracked my body. Nonsensical words dripped from my mouth. Jasper held tight to my hands, occasionally holding me down so I wouldn't fall off the bed.

The agonizingly long hours drifted by like days. Never once did I have the pleasure of fainting, of blacking out. I was awake the entire transformation.

Each minute felt like hours, the fire never dimming, never burning out.

I struggled to keep my eyes on Jasper's face at all times. The pain always seemed distant when I was looking at him.

Three long, excruciatingly long days passed. I never took my hands off Jasper.

When the pain stopped, it was quick, almost like I'd been doused with ice-water. The fire was now only a memory, and it would remain that way for the rest of my life.

I stayed on the bed, gasping for air I didn't technically need. Jasper eyed me cautiously.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice ringing alarmingly loud in my ears.

"Don't shout," I whispered.

He grinned. "Everything seems louder now that your senses have been heightened. You'll get used to it soon," he explained, his voice considerably lower.

I frowned.

"Are you thirsty?" he asked. I could see him lean closer to me, almost as if he was ready to restrain me if necessary.

I thought about it...

"No," I whispered. I thought I was supposed to be crazy, insane with thirst. I felt nothing if not full.

He raised his eyebrows. "I'll have to tell Carlisle," he murmured.

I ignored him. "Jasper?" I asked.

"Yes, Bella?"

"How did you stop?" I had been truly marveled when he stopped. I hadn't expected him to pull away, as sorry as I was to admit it.

"I think... after I looked into your eyes, I realized that I couldn't lose you. It would kill me if you were gone forever, especially if it were my fault," he explained. He squeezed my hand tighter with every word.

"Jasper, I need you to do something." So, maybe there was something I was thirsty for.

"What, love?" he asked.

"I need you to kiss me," I replied, a smile creeping across my face.

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	17. Chapter 17

**Read...**

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Jasper and I stumbled – well, as much as a vampire can stumble – out the door. Our laughs echoed off of the walls.

"We have to find Carlisle," said Jasper. He grabbed my hand, and ran down the hall. I was amazed that I could actually keep up with him now.

Running, it was the single most exhilarating thing I'd ever done. The speed was much better when you experienced it first hand. Sure, on someone's back it was nice, but when it was you who was running, it was better than anyone could ever imagine.

We slowed when we head voices.

"I expect we will take them into the household without any resentment on your part, Edward." It was Carlisle.

"We will have to stay in seclusion for so long! Bella will not be stable enough for human contact for quite some time. How will you help people, how will any of us do anything productive?" asked Edward, his voice growing in intensity with every word.

Jasper picked the door the conversation was coming from. He knocked, a smirk plastered on his heavenly face. He couldn't wait to rub my lack of thirst in Edward's face.

Edward was the one to open the door. He glared at Jasper, then his eyes swung to mine. His mouth fell open, his eyes raked my body.

"Bella," he whispered.

"We came to see Carlisle," I said, ignoring his ogling. He could look at me all he wanted, he'd never get to touch.

"Come in," called Carlisle from inside the door.

I pushed past Edward. Carlisle was seated in a large leather chair. The room had no bed, but was filled with bookshelves that reached the ceiling. There were various chairs and couches placed around the room. Carlisle had a very old looking book with yellowed pages open on his lap.

"What can I do for you?" asked Carlisle, closing the book.

"I'm not thirsty," was all I replied.

"Hmm... are you sure?" he questioned.

I smiled. "Pretty sure."

"Come, sit. You too, Jasper," invited Carlisle. I took a seat on one of the long couches. Jasper joined me.

"What happened after the pain stopped?" asked Carlisle, leaning forward.

"Well, I asked her if she was thirsty, but she said no. She didn't look thirsty, so I didn't push it," explained Jasper.

"You were not a fan of blood when you were human, were you Bella," commented Carlisle.

"Eww, no," I said, shuddering. Even the smell made me sick.

"Well, traits from a person's human life are sometimes indicative of the special qualities that appear when a person is turned into a vampire. The fact that you hated blood while you were human might have made you immune to blood as a vampire." He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair.

"So, you think she just... won't be thirsty?" inquired Jasper.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I just don't think that she'll be thirsty for blood."

Edward entered the conversation at that point. "Is that all? There's nothing else she can do?"

"She's only been changed for a short time. Give her a chance to see what else she can do," said Carlisle.

Carlisle then changed the subject. "Have you looked in a mirror yet, Bella?"

I shook my head, wondering why he would ask such an absurd question. Did I have something on my face?

He stood up and took my hand. He led me to the far wall, a small mirror was in place between two of the shelves.

I gasped, my hands flying to my face. I no longer looked the part of poor, defenseless human. The planes of my face had become harder, smoother somehow. My dark hair was shiner, fuller than it was when I was human. My eyes shone a bright red. It was just because my blood had not been absorbed by my body yet, though. My lips curved into a smile, revealing sparkling white teeth.

Jasper stepped behind me. "You're beautiful," he breathed into my ear. He put his arms around me, his face beside mine. We looked in the mirror, examining each other's faces, for what seemed like hours.

I heard Carlisle and Edward leave the room.

Jasper turned me around and gave me a kiss. "You're beautiful," he muttered again.

"Isn't this a pretty picture," said a voice from the doorway.

"Aro," I sighed, turning to face him.

"I'm glad to see that everything worked out okay," he said. "Now that you are a vampire, you no longer require our services." He turned and left without another word.

I frowned. I'd almost forgotten about the wolves. They were the whole reason we'd come to Volterra in the first place. If it weren't for them, I'd be snug and cozy in Forks right now. It was their fault that I was a vampire.

They wouldn't be able to hold any of the Cullen's responsible for my change. They'd have only themselves to blame.

Yes, of course I'd miss Jacob. But, if he hadn't wanted to kidnap me, it wouldn't have come to this.

"When should we leave?" I asked.

"Whenever you want, love," said Jasper.

"Anytime in the very near future would be nice."

He took my hand and this time we walked to my room.

"What brought me here?" I wondered out loud. My life had been flipped totally upside-down.

"It was a twist of fate, my dear Bella. We both thought that we were secure in our relationships, that our fate was sealed. It was when we learned that our lives were not perfect, that we found each other," he explained.

"And I'm so happy we did," I said, squeezing his hand.

We turned into my room and quickly packed up the things I'd brought with me. I had no idea where we were going to go after we left, but I couldn't care less. If I was with Jasper, I was happy.

We left after a mere five minutes in the room. We strode through the stone lined halls quickly, wanting nothing more than to get out of the place.

That's when the screaming started. It was a girl, a human girl.

I ran towards the sound, it grew more piercing with every step. After what seemed like an eternity, I burst into the room the screaming came from.

Aro was bent over a girl, she looked to be about twenty.

"No!" I exclaimed.

Suddenly Aro stopped. He tried to reach the girl, but it was like there was something in the way... something he couldn't penetrate. He tried multiple times to touch the girl, but never succeeded. I was focused so hard on keeping the girl alive.

He turned to me, eyes sparkling.

"Well, Bella... it seems I know another part of your power."

Jasper came into the room at that point. He looked furious.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, ignoring Jasper's presence.

"You stopped me from attacking that girl," he said. He took a step closer to me. "Would you consider joining us, Bella?" he asked.

The girl screamed in pain, the venom already working it's way through her body.

"Never," I whispered. I turned and left the room, leaving Aro to finish the girl. She'd have thanked me for it. The fire would be out soon.

"Bella?" asked Jasper, his voice anxious.

"I'm fine," I murmured, trying to keep my tone even.

I didn't say another word until we got to the car.

"Any sign of the wolves?" I asked.

"No. It smells like they haven't been around here for days," he answered.

"Good." I didn't need them to see me like this.

The drive to the airport was beautiful. I'd only ever seen it once, the time I came with Alice. I was so distraught though, that I couldn't register the picturesque landscape around me. The rolling hills, everything was so wonderful. My mood brightened considerably.

Jasper grabbed my hand, and brought it up to his lips. "I love you," he said, his eyes probing deep into mine.

"I love you, too," I whispered. His touch still sent shivers through me.

"Jasper?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"I'd really like to go outside. It's been awhile since I've been out there," I explained. I was itching to get out in the open. It was too pretty to be observed from the restraint of the car.

"Alright." He pulled the car over to the side of the road.

I got out and made a run for it. Running made me feel so free, so happy. Jasper caught up, laughing. I stopped on top of a hill that overlooked an entire valley. Jasper stood beside me.

"Ready to start life together?" asked Jasper, grabbing my hands in his, and turning to face me.

"Of course," I said, draping my arms around his shoulders.

"Forever?" He put his arms around my waist.

"Forever," I confirmed. And it was true. I was ready to be with him... forever.

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**THAT, my loves, was the end. But please, don't worry! There will be a sequel coming up very VERY shortly. Did you really think I could leave my Jasper and Bella story?! What are you, crazy?!**

**So... for the last time...**

**Review, it makes the last chapter so much sweeter.**


	18. News!

**OKAY CHILDREN!**

**Good news, for those of you who haven't heard yet.**

**THE SEQUEL IS UP! Go and read it!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**-- Savannah**


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